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WFEO works to share and support the work of our members on the accreditation and mobility of engineers. We provide advice and experience. Though we do not set standards or conduct assessments, we work with organizations that do so and we facilitate engagements with them.

Introduction

WFEO believes in an engineering profession of well-qualified, up-to-date engineers, working ethically and responding to the needs of their clients who may have little or no engineering knowledge.

Over a long period of time major national institutions and learned societies have established and operated systems for accrediting engineering courses and for assessing the suitability of engineers for independent professional practice. Since the 1980s many of these organisations have come together formally to extend their systems internationally.

The most widely known examples of this cooperation include the Washington Accord, FEANI, the Engineers Mobility Forum and the APEC Engineer Monitoring Committee. A number of other groups have emerged to join what is now a global international framework working on standards for engineering degrees and professional engineering practice.

WFEO in its pre-eminent position in the engineering profession has a key role to play in the formation and assessment of engineers around the world. Representing its members to major international agencies, it is ideally placed to facilitate exchanges between:

the organisations that set the standards for engineering education and the assessment of professional competence

the employers of engineers and users of engineering products and services and

other organisations affected by the quality and number of professional engineers.

Acting as a central information source and facilitator between international organisations, such as the United Nations, World Trade Organisation, the World Bank and Transparency International, WFEO would be a major contributor to accreditation and mobility and take a significant step towards achieving its goals.

WFEO has an interest in all aspects of engineering mobility but migration mobility is particularly important to WFEO members and its stakeholder agencies.

WFEO has to have a role in fostering and helping this important global activity. WFEO must set out its role so other organisations understand what we intend to do and what we will not involve ourselves in.

Member organisations need WFEO help to achieve appropriate standards for their countries’ needs

WFEO can facilitate the recognition of graduate attributes and competencies for professional engineers by the United Nations, Governments and other international agencies involved in the provision of engineering goods and services

WFEO should be a source of information for all stakeholders in the competent ethical practice of engineering.

Policy

WFEO believes in generic attributes for graduate and competent engineers practicing ethically and maintaining their up-to-date engineering knowledge. WFEO recognises the role of the world’s accreditation and mobility organisations and pledges to support their activities to maintain international and regional qualifications and professional standards and registers for engineering and computer engineering professionals.

WFEO will encourage the recognition of graduate attributes and professional competencies for engineers by the United Nations, governments and other international agencies involved in the provision of engineering goods and services

WFEO will provide a source of information for all stakeholders in the competent ethical practice of engineering and facilitate exchanges between people and organisations involved in engineering activity.

Related stances

WFEO facilitates communication and cooperation among engineering organizations and with other organizations particularly those of the UN system and international non governmental institutions dealing with science, engineering, technology and business

Effective and efficient capacity building;

Building human, institutional, and infrastructure capacity to help societies develop secure, stable, and sustainable economies, governments, and other institutions through mentoring, training, education, physical projects, the infusion of financial and other resources, and, most importantly, the motivation and inspiration of people to improve their lives (Courtesy of ASCE)

Anti-corruption;

WFEO relates to the global movement against corruption in engineering activities and supports the Engineers Anti-Corruption Charter. WFEO has proposed zero tolerance towards bribery, fraud and corruption in engineering and construction in a clause for inclusion in a revision of its Code of Ethics.

WFEO / International Engineering Alliance MoU;

In April 2014, the International Engineering Alliance and WFEO signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build capacity for accreditation together. Read the entire article here

Definition

Mobility of engineering professionals is the movement of professional engineers around the world who have the quality marks of a recognised engineering degree and the post nominals confirming an assessed competence for independent practice. Professional Engineer (PEng) and (Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) are examples of post nominals. The degrees and post nominals are recognised through international comparison with the benchmarks of the accords and mobility forums. International benchmarking helps engineers change employment, change country of residence and access restricted work in new jurisdictions. Benchmarking also lowers an employer’s risk in hiring engineers.

The engineers are usually working in a different jurisdiction to the one in which they qualified and acquired professional standing. Not all of this work is regulated but the standards we are talking about are just as important in non-regulated engineering work.

Mutual recognition of engineering mobility standards by regulatory authorities in different jurisdictions can:

lead to the regulation and registration of engineers outside their home jurisdiction

enable engineers to practice in restricted areas of engineering outside their own countries

enable governments and users of engineering products and services to have confidence in engineers coming into their country